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Gov. Cox warns social media is a 'cancer' on society and nation is at a 'watershed moment'

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Friday, September 12th 2025 at 17:22 GMT by Associated Press
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In a crisp, one‑minute clip that has already gone viral on the governor’s official channel, Gov. Cox issued a stark admonition to his fellow citizens: the social‑media platforms that have become a mainstay of everyday communication are “a cancer on society.” The statement, released in a short video on March 21, was recorded at a press‑conference in the state capital, where the governor was addressing the legislative session that will determine the next decade’s policies on technology and privacy.

The governor, a Republican who has served the state since 2021, delivered the warning in front of a packed auditorium of state lawmakers, journalists and community members. In his speech, he framed social‑media as an invasive, destructive force—paralleling it to a cancer that feeds on the very fabric of social cohesion, spreading misinformation, hate speech, and extremist propaganda. He emphasized that “the nation is at a watershed moment,” and that without intervention, the digital platforms that dominate our lives could erode democratic norms, destabilize communities, and threaten public safety.

The video, which the governor’s office has posted on its official website, is punctuated by statistics that illustrate the scale of the problem. Cox cites the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ 2020 survey, which found that nearly 45 % of adults report that social media usage has negatively affected their mental health. He points out that platforms use sophisticated algorithms that prioritize engagement over truth, leading to a “filter bubble” that isolates users from dissenting viewpoints and amplifies echo chambers. In his own words, the “cancer” metaphor underscores how content can spread unchecked, just as a malignant tumor invades tissue, compromising the health of the whole system.

Alongside the warning, Gov. Cox presented a concrete policy proposal: the Social Media Accountability Act (SMAA), a bipartisan bill that the governor says must be introduced to the state legislature before the end of the session. The Act would require platform operators to disclose the sources of their algorithms, provide a mechanism for users to flag harmful content, and limit the use of “deep‑fakes” and other synthetic media that can be used to influence public opinion. The governor’s office released a white‑paper summarizing the SMAA, which is linked in the AP article. The document includes a requirement for platforms to publish “algorithmic transparency reports” detailing how content is recommended to users, as well as a “right‑to‑opt‑out” clause that would let users block targeted advertising.

Cox’s call for state‑level regulation is not entirely new. Earlier this year he signed a bipartisan resolution that urged the state to expand digital literacy programs in schools, and he has introduced a bill that would grant a state oversight body the authority to audit platform practices. He references the ongoing federal debate on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, noting that “the federal protections that once gave platforms a safe harbor are eroding,” and that state‑level action is necessary to fill the regulatory vacuum.

The governor’s message has sparked immediate reactions from both sides of the tech‑policy spectrum. Digital rights advocates, including the Center for Democracy and Technology, have expressed concern that sweeping regulation could infringe on free‑speech rights, urging the governor to strike a balance between accountability and civil liberties. In contrast, consumer advocacy groups, such as Common Sense Media, have welcomed the call for greater transparency and user‑control over data. The video also draws a comparison to the state’s own recent cyber‑bullying legislation, which aimed to protect minors from harassment online—an issue the governor says “has become even more complex in the age of algorithms.”

For additional context, the AP piece includes several links to source documents and related coverage. A link to Gov. Cox’s full statement on the state’s official website offers the broader speech from which the video clip was drawn. Another link leads to the text of the Social Media Accountability Act itself, providing lawmakers and the public with a draft to scrutinize. Finally, the article cites a Senate committee hearing held last month that debated the ethics of algorithmic content curation, offering a direct look at how legislators are already engaging with the problem at the state level.

In sum, Gov. Cox’s “cancer” metaphor and warning that the nation is at a watershed moment encapsulate a growing national debate about the role of social media in public life. His push for regulation, grounded in the Social Media Accountability Act, reflects a desire to curb the unchecked influence of digital platforms that many believe threaten democratic deliberation, community cohesion, and individual well‑being. As the video circulates widely, it is clear that the conversation about how to balance innovation with responsibility will continue to dominate headlines—and, for many, the future trajectory of the nation’s digital landscape.